Hawaii is happiest state in the U.S.; West Virginia is least happy: study

Beachgoers in Hawaii, where the happiness index is No. 1. (Carolyn Kaster/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Hawaii is still the happiest state in the nation, according to a new survey.

The Aloha State ranked No. 1 for the fourth consecutive year in the 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which looks at residents' health, work environment, access to resources and their own feelings about their lives to determine happiness.

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Mountainous West Virginia ranked last, also for the fourth year in a row.

New York landed near the middle — it's the 30th happiest state, up from 34th in 2011.

New Yorkers did particularly well when it came to "healthy behaviors" — ranking 19th in the nation — and "life evaluation," most having positive opinions about one's own success and future.

But Empire State dwellers faltered when it came to happiness at work. New York ranked 45th in the "work environment" category, based on telephone interviews that gauged employees' feelings about their jobs.

The survey also broke it down beyond states, labeling the happiest and least happy communities and congressional districts. See the full report here.

The 50 states were divided into five levels of happiness. Hawaii, Colorado and Minnesota are on top. (2012 State of Well-being)

10 Happiest States:

1. Hawaii

2. Colorado

3. Minnesota

4. Utah

5. Vermont

6. Montana

When it comes to happiness, New York ranks somewhere in the middle. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

7. Nebraska

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8. New Hampshire

9. Iowa

10. Massachusetts

10 Unhappiest States:

1. West Virginia

2. Kentucky

Sunbathers in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Aloha State is the happiest in the nation, according to a new survey. (Bayne Stanley/AP)